Plum tree

ABSTRACT

A plum tree which heavily and regularly bears fruit having very dark, almost black, purplish-red skin and which is uniformly of substantially globose shape.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW VARIETY

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of plum treebroadly characterized by its heavy and regular bearing of dark,purplish-red skinned fruit which is uniformly substantially globose inshape, has amber flesh, and ripens in early midseason.

It is well known that purchasers of plums, as with other fruit, aregreatly influenced by size, color, and shape of the fruit. There are anumber of well-known and successful varieties of plum trees having apurplish-red skin, for example the Damson (unpatented), the El Dorado(unpatented), the Queen Ann (unpatented), and the Nubiana (unpatented).However, the fruit of these varieties is deficient in one or morerespects. It is generally small, relatively light in color, ripens late,or is of an unsymmetrical shape. It has long been recognized asdesirable to provide a plum tree bearing fruit which is especially darkin color and of pleasing, symmetrical shape and yet is of satisfactorysize and date of ripening. Since many varieties of plums of otherwisesatisfactory characteristics are notoriously light, and/or irregularbearers of fruit due to difficulties in pollination, it is essentialthat a plum tree bearing fruit with these desirable qualities alsopollinate readily so as to bear such fruit heavily and regularly.

ORIGIN AND ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

My new variety of plum tree was discovered by me in 1975 in an orchardof Ace plum trees (believed to be unpatented) growing on rootstockpropagated from the seeds of seedling peach trees. The orchard was andis owned by me and is located at the corner of Mountain View and DockeryAvenues near the City of Selma, in the County of Fresno, in the State ofCalifornia. The new variety was discovered as a shoot of new growth froma fallen one of said trees. I cared for the shoot in the expectationthat it was of the Ace variety and would supplant the fallen tree, butdiscovered that the new growth was of a new variety, which is thesubject of the present application.

I asexually reproduced the new variety by budding it onto rootstocks ofthe Marianna (unpatented) and El Dorado (unpatented) varieties of plumtrees in an orchard owned by me and located on Nebraska Avenue betweenBethel Avenue and Amber Avenue near the City of Selma. The fruit andtree characteristics of plum trees resulting from such budding wereidentical to those of the original new growth.

SUMMARY OF THE NEW VARIETY

The instant variety of plum is generally characterized by bearing fruithaving amber flesh and a very dark purplish-red skin, but has importantdistinctions over other varieties of plum trees bearing fruit having oneor more of these general characteristics.

In comparison with the Damson (unpatented) variety, the fruit borne bythe new variety is much larger in diameter, has a darker skin and ripensfour to six weeks earlier.

In comparison with the Nubiana (unpatented) variety, the fruit of thenew variety is similar in size but the fruit of the new variety issubstantially globose while the fruit of the Nubiana variety issubstantially flattened. The fruit borne by the new variety is furtherdistinguished from that of the Nubiana variety by having a skin colorwhich is slightly darker and by ripening about one week earlier.

In comparison with the El Dorado (unpatented) variety of plum tree, thefruit of the new variety is similar in size, flesh coloration and timeof ripening. However, the fruit borne by the El Dorado variety has skinof a deep red color, rather than the very dark, almost black color ofthe fruit of the new variety.

In comparison with the Simka (Plant Pat. No. 1,882) variety of plumtree, the new variety is distinguished by its bearing of fruit which issomewhat smaller and which has a darker skin coloration, and which ismore globose and less pointed than the fruit of the Simka variety.

The fruit borne by the new variety of plum tree has a skin color whichis slightly darker than Plate 8-L-7 (Carbuncle +), a flesh color whichis substantially that of Plate 11-J-8 (Saratoga), and has axial andtransverse dimensions of approximately 4.7 cm. The stone of the newvariety adheres to one-half of a cut fruit and becomes free of the otherhalf when the cut fruit is twisted.

The new variety is especially characterized by its bloom and its heavyand regular bearing of fruit due to the ease with which it isself-pollinated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawing is a color photograph of mature plums of thesubject variety with one of the plums divided to show the flesh andstone characteristics, together with a typical twig bearingcharacteristic leaves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring more specifically to the pomological details of this new anddistinct variety of plum tree, the following has been observed under theecological conditions prevailing in the designated orchards in FresnoCounty, Calif. All of the color plate designations are by reference tothe Maerz and Paul Dictionary of Color, Second Edition, 1950.

TREE

Size: Medium; Depending upon cultural practices.

Productivity: Heavy and regular bearing.

Trunk: Medium diameter in relation to length.

Branches:

Current season's growth.--Size--Medium. Surface texture--Nearly smooth.Color--From 20-L-9 (Eden Green) to near 23-L-5 (Cedar Green).Lenticels--Present on all twigs with secondary growth; small in size andnumerous.

Two year old, spurred.--Size--Medium. Surface texture--Smooth.Color--Very dark brown, darker than 16-H-12 (Bronzesheen).Lenticels--Moderately numerous, especially below nodes; variable insize; round to coalesced longitudinally in shape.

Older growth.--Size--Medium. Surface--Moderately rough with bark insmall platelets. Color of mature bark--Plate 15-A-5 (Log Cabin).Lenticels--Color, Plate 13-L-10 (Raw Sienna NA); moderate in number,elongated around branch, medium or slightly larger in size.

Leaves:

Shoot.--Size--Medium. Length--10 cm. average. Width--3.8 to 4.0 cm.Shape--Oval to slightly obovate. Color--Ventral surface, Plate 31-E-12;Dorsal surface, Plate 20-E-9. Marginal form--Finely and doubly crenate.Glands--Two to three at apex of petiole. Petiole--Short and stout;length 1.2 to 1.3 cm.; thickness 0.2 cm. Stem glands--Two or threeapically disposed, often with two on one side and one on the other side;size, medium large for plum; color, Plate 16-L-12. Stipules--Linear,finely dentate; small in size; one or two in number; often adherentuntil late July.

Spur.--Size--Largest of medium size. Length--Up to 12 cm. Width--3.5 cm.Shape--Long oval to long, slightly obovate; apex accuminate; base longand accuminate. Color--Ventral surface, darker than Plate 24-L-12;dorsal surface, Plate 21-F-6. Marginal form--Very finely crenate.Petiole--Long and slender; length 1.8 to 2.0 cm.; thickness 0.15 cm.Stem glands--Two in number; at apex of petiole or occasionally at baseof blade; medium to small in size; globose; color, Plate 16-L-12.Stipules--Lacking.

Buds: Small; plump; glabrous, with many per spur; each bears two tothree flowers.

Flowers:

Dates of bloom.--In 1979, first bloom on February 28 and full bloom onMarch 10.

Sepals.--Width, at base approximately 2.5 mm.; Length, approximately 3mm.; oval; glabrous; dorsal surface color, Plate 19-K-7; ventral surfacecolor, Plate 19-K-7 apically, fading to white basally; margin, becomesnarrowly rosaceous with age and is minutely dentate apically; dorsalsurface, tightly rugose.

Petals.--Approximately 9.2 mm. by 7.4 mm.; color white; broad oval andslightly cupped in form with apex rounded and base short to mediumaccuminate to a short claw; margin, very slightly eroded.

Pedicel.--Slender; length 16 to 17 mm.; color, Plate 19-K-6.

Corolla.--Form, short funnel to cup; surface texture lightly rugose;color, Plate 19-K-7.

Pistil.--One per flower; slender with small capitate stigma; lengthapproximately 10 mm.; color, Plate 19-L-2 (Javel Green).

Stamens.--Number, approximately 30; slender, up to 8 mm. in length,longer stamens somewhat longer than pistil; color, white.

Anthers.--Fertile, small to medium in size; plump; color, approximatelyPlate 11-F-10, with reddish streak laterally just before anthesis.

FRUIT

Maturity: Usually matures from July 15 to July 20.

Size: Small/medium to medium; uniform; length, 4.59 ± 0.21 cm.;transverse in suture plane, 4.75 ± 0.18 cm.; transverse at right angleto suture plane 4.71 ± 0.20 cm.; weight 63.50 ± 7.25 grams.

Form: Symmetrical; uniform but slightly irregular; truncate, broadelliptical.

Suture.--Usually shallow and rather wide, from base to apex.

Stem cavity.--Nearly round to oval; depth, 1.2-1.3 cm.

Base.--Slight to medium small; flat; at right angle to axis of fruit.

Shoulders.--Rounded to stone cavity; laterally usually somewhat higher;ventrally, depressed as a groove; dorsally, not depressed or slightlydepressed.

Apex.--Medium in size; depressed; truncate at right angles to axis offruit.

Pistil point.--Very obscure.

Stem.--Medium stout and long, length approximately 2.0 cm., caliper 0.2cm.; color Plate 15-H-12.

Skin.--Thin, moderately tough; no apparent tendency to crack.

Color.--Slightly darker than Plate 8-L-7 (Carbuncle +).

Bloom.--Heavy; color, Plate 39-E-5.

Flesh:

Color.--Amber, Plate 11-J-8 (Saratoga); surface of pit cavity, the sameor slightly darker.

Juice.--Slight when firm ripe.

Flavor.--Mild, slightly acid.

Aroma.--Lacking.

Texture.--Firm, meaty.

Fibers.--Lacking.

Ripening.--Even.

Eating quality.--Fair or better.

Stone:

Cling characteristics.--Tight, one-half becomes free when twisting cutfruit, other half adheres.

Fibers.--None.

Size.--Small; approximately 2.0 cm. long, 1.5 cm. broad, 0.85 cm. thick.

Form.--Symmetrical, ovate to broad-ovate.

Base.--Small, narrow.

Surface of sides.--Nearly smooth.

Ridges.--Ventral, narrow and rather sharp; dorsal, low and blunt.

Grooves.--Very shallow, nearly obscure.

Color.--Approximately Plate 15-L-12 (Raw Umber); lighter at base, apex,and along ventral ridge.

Splitting tendency.--None.

Shipping Quality: Good.

Keeping Quality: Good.

Although the new variety of plum tree bears the describedcharacteristics as a result of the growing conditions in Fresno County,Calif., in the central part of the San Joaquin Valley, it is to beunderstood that variations of the usual magnitude in characteristicsincident to growing conditions, fertilization, pruning and pest controlare to be expected.

Having thus described and illustrated my new variety of plum tree, whatis new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:
 1. A new anddistinct variety of plum tree, substantially as illustrated anddescribed, characterized particularly as to novelty by its heavy bloomand its heavy and regular bearing of fruit which has a very dark, almostblack, purplish-red colored skin and which is uniformly of substantiallyglobose form and generally characterized by its bearing of medium sized,amber-fleshed, fruit which ripens in early midseason.